It is the last day of what has been an amazing experience, and in a way – it’s sad to say goodbye. Catching the tube to Covent Garden each day, and trotting down to Somerset House in what I can now describe as the most uncomfortable pair of shoes ever, has actually been really comforting, so it’s sad to know it’s now back to reality again. I’m pleased that I can now say I have experienced LFW in it’s entirety (well, almost) and sat on the side of some amazing shows. Today, I experienced the best show (in my personal experience) ever, the highly anticipated Roksanda Ilincic a/w catwalk display at the Savoy Hotel.
As you probably will know, from my rather frantic and excited tweets earlier on today, I was kindly given two tickets to the show by the Charles Worthington and St Tropez team, and asked to be their LFW Insider (how exciting!). As the master of all things hair, and the recent official hair stylists of the BAFTA’s, it was only right that Charles Worthington were styling the locks of the models for the Roksanda show (I will talk about the hair in depth later), in addition to the very fantastic St Tropez, who were perfecting and priming the model’s skin, giving them the perfect winter glow. To be able to report live (well, with a little delay since I had very low signal in the room) was an absolute honour!
Upon arrival at the very grand Savoy Hotel (it’s my dream to stay there one day, it’s utterly amazing – the interior and the grandeur feel to the place is overwhelming), I was met by the lovely Sophie, who is in the PR team for both Charles Worthington and St Tropez. Having been backstage all morning assisting the styling for the models, she was in a hurry – so I only met her briefly (and if you’re reading Sophie, I loved your blouse!) but having emailed back and forth a few times, it was great to put a face to a name!
After receiving our two seated tickets, we were then led through to the other entrance of the Savoy to wait for the doors to open. Although I have attended several other shows this season, they were really nothing on the scale of Roksanda’s show – and the number of people waiting outside to take street style pictures, interview queuing fashionistas or to get a standing position at the show was unbelievable!
After looking in awe at the exterior (and interior) of the Savoy Hotel itself, I had imagined the decor of the show space to be every bit as indulgent, glamorous and luxurious of the rest, and upon entering the room – it certainly didn’t disappoint. Pastel coloured material, wooden panels and textured fabrics clung to the walls of the gorgeous ballroom, giving those attending a little sneak preview of what was to come. The catwalk itself, rather than sticking to the traditional format – twisted and weaved through the rows of benches, which proved to be perfect for snapping the outfits as they strutted past. Overall, it was a very well thought out and gorgeous showroom, which certainly gave a very beautiful introduction to Roksanda’s collection.
Around 11.15, the crowd went silent, the lights went out and the music started. The start of the catwalk lit up on the very first beat of the music, and as soon as the first model stepped out I was in complete and utter awe. So much so that my mouth dropped open, and stayed that way until the lights went out again.
I appreciate that show reports are not supposed to be biased, nor use superlatives like ‘amazing’ and ‘utterly stunning’ to describe the collection pieces, but I’m going to break both of those rules. I LOVED Roksanda’s collection. I absolutely loved it. The hair, the skin, the way the clothes moved, the shoes, the make-up, the design, the cut, the material. I loved it all. Everything was utterly divine. It was aahmazing!
The main theme of the collection was chic, feminine cuts mixed with pastel prints, wet look fabrics and flashes of colour. The prom dress style, feminine, structured shapes of some of the dresses enabled the collection to feel accessible and wearable, but the prints and fabrics used gave it that luxurious, expensive edge that you simply don’t get on the high street.
The cuts and the silhouettes of the pieces gave it a very ‘prim and proper’ modern women feel, yet the quirky touches gave it a really unique edge. My personal favourites include a gorgeous fitted shift dress, embellished with metallic detailing that moved so fabulously – we could have been sitting in a movie. I also absolutely loved the wet look pastel pink structured dress, teamed with a gorgeous burnt orange fur stole.
The hair (styled by Marc Trinder from Charles Worthington) really accentuated and complimented the feminine, yet edgy look that Roksanda carried off so well. Each models hair looked sleek and smart, having been styled perfectly into a gorgeous knot, just above the neck (now dubbed the ‘nape knot’), yet had a net weaved in (which my boyfriend and I agreed looked a little ‘bow’ like) to give it a quirky edge. The non-fussy, yet perfectly styled hair let the outfits do the talking (as they should in a catwalk show, I suppose) but also complimented and highlighted the overall feel of the collection.
Very kindly, Charles Worthington has provided several tips for us below to recreate the ‘nape knot’, which is so simple and so chic, that it is destined to become the new top knot. I am sure of it!
The Nape Knot
Recreate the look:
1. Create a centre part and using Front Row Big Hair Volume Mousse (RRP 6.12), smooth the hair back into a very low ponytail on the nape of the neck.
2. Contrasting the severity of the front section, massage the new Salon at Home Split Ends Binder (RRP £5.99 OUT JUNE 2013) into the tail of the pony to create a textured, backcombed effect.
3. Twist the length of the tail before wrapping it around the base of the pony to create a knot.
4. Secure the knot with pins, allowing the tips to escape out to one side.
5. Use the palm of your hand to gently massage the knot and allow flyaway strands to escape.
6. Spray a touch of the Charles Worthington Front Row Forever Lasting Hairspray (RRP £6.12)onto your fingertips then use them to smooth the hair at the parting.
The skin and make-up was also immaculate, fitting in with the well-presented, feminine theme. The eye make-up was a little different, but fabulous all the same, and I can only describe it as an ‘extended dusky smokey eye’, which was quite fairly plain, but brought the cheekbones and the dewy skin to the centre of attention. St Tropez have provided some exclusive tips for re-creating the Roksanda look, after perfecting the models skin before the show itself:
The Warm Winter Tan
Recreate the look:
1. Mix a small amount of the St.Tropez Instant Glow Wash Off Lotion (RRP £12.26) into double the amount of the new St.Tropez Tan Enhancing Body Moisturiser (RRP £10).
2. Apply using a mitt in long, upward strokes and allow to absorb for five minutes.
3. Use your fingers to pat lashings of the St.Tropez Rose Skin Illuminator (RRP £12.26) onto the fronts of the arms, shins, the collarbones and knuckles. Wait it for it to sink in and then add a second layer.
4. Rather than blending the Illuminator in completely, use a dual fibre brush to gently buff around the edges of the highlighted sections to create a soft, luminous glow.
Overall, I had a fabulous last day at LFW. I spent a little time at Somerset House, taking several street style photographs (which will be displayed in a separate post), but with sore feet and a full memory card – we left London with fond memories, our LFW passes as souvenirs and a hell of a lot of empty vitamin water bottles.
I would love to hear what you thought about LFW, whether you attended this year or not. Of course, London Fashion Weekend is on the near horizon, starting on Saturday – and open to the public. I went a few seasons ago, and it was definitely worth attending – as there are make-up artists, fashion designers and jewellery exhibitions galore on show! If you have any questions or queries about LFW, applying for passes or attending shows, please let me know – as I would love to help!
Finally, I would like to say a special thank you to Sophie for the Roksanda tickets! I had a fabulous time and it was such an honour to be tweeting on behalf of Charles Worthington and St Tropez. I truly loved every minute! Hopefully, this will be Scarlett London’s first LFW of many!
